India allows telcos to be fully foreign-owned

The previous limit of foreign ownership over mobile operators was capped at 74 percent, whicih did not deter the likes of Vodafone, Telenor, and Sistema, to set up joint ventures. Now, the Indian government is relaxing regulations, in another attempt to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) into India, and allowing 100 per cent foreign ownership, as reported by ITWorld.com.

Some of these foreign companies may buy out their joint ventures for full ownership and control, but it is unlikely that any new telecom operators will enter the Indian market at the moment as India needs to overhaul its taxation laws to attract new entrants. On the flipside, this simply might invite entrants to set up even more joint ventures within India, as many of the Indian telecom operators are debt ridden at the moment.

In the short term, I wouldn't expect consumers to notice any differences. However, in time this could lead to new roaming agreements with more international carriers, at reduced rates, as some of these carriers could already have an investment with the Indian telecom operator.

Eventually, I wouldn't be surprised to see international operators such as O2 from the U.K. and Verizon from the U.S., and even Rogers from Canada, to have some presence in India.

The main reason why I would expect to see the above carriers, or others, from the countries listed above is because of the large Indian diasporas living in those areas. Brand recognition is one way to attract new customers and those who have lived abroad and come back to India, or vice versa, would already know who these telecom operators are. Furthermore, this could lead to special packages and rates for voice calls and SMS messages between India and foreign countries.

Already, Indian telecom operators are making their presence felt outside of India, as Airtel takes the lead in this segment. It is available in neighboring in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, 18 countries across Africa, but unfortunately not in Pakistan. In fact, Airtel is the fourth biggest mobile operator in the world, and is already reaching out to the Indian diasporas, instead of the other way around.

Personally, I would not be surprised if Airtel were to eventually enter Europe and then North America, but perhaps only after a telco from one of those regions enters India first.?

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/in/india-allows-telcos-to-be-fully-foreign-owned-7000018207/

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Breaking: Elm Street is closed between Church and Orange in New Haven due to a b...

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Canada Explosion: Oil Train Derails In Quebec

A fireball has engulfed a Canadian town after a train carrying crude oil derailed, sparking several explosions.

One person has been killed, according to police, but several people were reported missing.

The crash happened as the unmanned freight train travelled through the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic, a lakeside town with a population of 6,000, on Saturday morning.

The train's operator confirmed it had been parked out of town, but they are unsure how it "got released".

Massive flames and thick smoke could be seen, locals have reported that many buildings have been destroyed.

More than 1,000 residents were told to leave the area.

No-one was on board the train when it rolled into the town, according to the operator the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway company.

Vice president Joseph McGonigle said: "We're not sure what happened, but the engineer did everything by the book.

"He had parked the train and was waiting for his relief ... somehow, the train got released."

Mayor Colette Roy-LaRoche was nearly in tears as she addressed the media, according to the Montreal Gazette.?

"When you see the downtown of your city almost destroyed you think, how are we going to get through this? But I can assure everyone here that all the authorities and ministries have been very supportive," she said.

"We've deployed all the resources possible."

Four tanker cars blew up after the train, which had 73 cars in all, came off the rails shortly after 1am local time.

Environmental experts have also arrived in the town to assess how much oil may have spilled into local waterways.

Environment Quebec spokesman Christian Blanchette said: "Right now, there is big smoke in the air, so we have a mobile laboratory here to monitor the quality of the air.

"We also have a spill on the lake and the river that is concerning us.

"We have advised the local municipalities downstream to be careful if they take their water from the Chaudiere River."

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Source: http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/canada_explosion_oil_train_derails_in_quebec

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Real Estate: Rancho Mirage, a Top 15 Retirement Spot for Investing ...

Looking to invest in a retirement spot?

If so, you might want to check out Rancho Mirage.

This Coachella Valley city made the cut as a Top 15 retirement spot in the country for real estate investing. The only other locale in California to make the list was Seal Beach.

Here?s how it happened: RealtyTrac pulled data from all cities with a population of more than 10,000 that had 33 percent of its resident-base with people who were 65 or older. The list, narrowed to 40, was boiled down even further when the online real estate reporting service looked at cities with a positive capitalization rate using average rents on three bedroom homes and the median sale prices as of ?May 2013.

Annual temperature, sunshine, the cost of living index and annual price appreciation were other factors to arrive at the top spots to buy an investment home.

Bing Crosby estate in Rancho Mirage.
(Photo: VacationPalmSprings.com)

Six Florida cities made the Top 15 list: Naples, North Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, Sun City Center, Venice and Orange City.

In Arizona, Sun City and Green Valley made the cut. Finishing out the list were East Hampton, New York; Florence, Oregon; Douglassville, Pennsylvania; and Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.

?These popular retirement ?cities will likely be an area of growth in the housing market over the next 15 years as ?Baby Boomers? retire in greater numbers,? said RealtyTrac vice president Daren Blomquist.

This generation started retiring in 2011, beginning a phase will continue through 2029. ?That means there will be plenty of ?demand for rentals and owner-occupant purchases in these markets for the foreseeable future.?

For Rancho Mirage, the capitalization rate ? net annual income from rental as a percentage of the purchase price ? was 2.7 percent, Blomquist told The Press-Enterprise.

?That?s not a huge number, but you?d still see an annual return as the home value begins appreciating. If you decide to sell, you will benefit that appreciation, as well,? he said.

Curt Watts, Rancho Mirage development services director, called the Top 15 ranking a validation of what most residents, full-time or part-time, ?are seeing in general with Rancho Mirage, a spot known as the ?Playground of Presidents.?

Residents and investors view the city as a great place to plan their future, or prepare for it: It is not only sensitive to the needs of?active seniors, Watts said it?s a place where one can make wise real estate choices, and feel comfortable that the property is neither overpriced nor mixed with an over-abundance of ?downmarket? ?housing stock, like inexpensive condos and apartments.

Just in case you want to get a head start on the market, check out the Bing Crosby estate in the gated Thunderbird section of Rancho Mirage. The legendary celebrity estate, which hit the Multiple Listing Service in 2010 for $3.4 million, is a 7,000-square-foot property that can leased?at monthly rates in the area of $90,000.

Jim Ryan, associate broker for Windermere Real Estate in nearby Indian Wells, said it?s great to have a Coachella Valley city make the Top 15 retirement real estate investment list.

?Getting press that says it?s a great place to retire brings more people hopefully into the valley,? he said. ?That?s exactly what we need.?

Tell us what you think? Would Rancho Mirage be a retirement spot you?d invest in?

Source: http://blog.pe.com/2013/07/05/real-estate-rancho-mirage-a-top-15-retirement-spot-for-investing/

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Looking for players interested in an Original Fantasy Epic.

Like the title states I'm looking for interested players for a Role Play set in an original fantasy world. Players will take on the role of Champions, each hailing from one of eight provinces (one player per province) within the Kingdom of Etriny, each with its own plight. Each player will have their own journey that will fit into the overarching plot.

This Role Play will feature a GM based quest system. Gm Text will be in blue.
Succession System: One of the most disheartening things about Role Plays is watching them die due to inactivity. With the Succession System the aim is to prevent that from happening. If for whatever reason a player has to leave or players cease posting, new champions can take their place.
Puzzles: No adventure is complete without puzzles, from the simple to the complex, to those diabolical tear your hair out conundrums. There will be a variety of puzzles and riddles, especially in certain dungeons.
Character Development: An important part of any Role Play, character development improves the world in wonderful ways. The more we get to know our characters the more we'll want them to grow. May the journey with your character be a fruitful one.
Help Shape the World: In the sign-ups you will see a brief description of the eight provinces. Stake your claim then feel free to add to it. Does your character worship a certain deity? Perhaps there is a guild within the city or maybe it has a unique political system. Are there fantastic caves to explore with their own dangers? Have an idea for a minor enemy or perhaps you have your own puzzles in mind? Let the borders of your province be your canvas.

If any of this interest you then please checkout the sign-ups for Dragons of Terra Firma on Sunday June 30th and stake your claim.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/4Twuf_Sia1Q/viewtopic.php

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